ROSCOE — A battle to keep a mystery manufacturer on the Illinois side of the Wisconsin border is being waged in Winnebago County — using tax breaks as arsenal.

A band of taxing bodies in Winnebago County may offer abatements to lure a manufacturer and distributor to Roscoe.

“There is very stiff competition with Wisconsin. We absolutely had to use abatements or it was going elsewhere. There was no choice,” said Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen, whose board voted last month to approve a 50 percent property tax break for five years. “It’s not a huge amount, but it’s enough to make a difference between Illinois or Wisconsin.”

For now, the company is referred to only by code name Project Orpheus because county officials say they’re bound by a confidentiality agreement and naming the company could jeopardize the deal, which could include state incentives. Orpheus is the name of a Greek mythological figure famed as the greatest musician and poet.

Andrew Janke, executive director of the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corporation, said he couldn’t comment on ongoing negotiations or verify competition over a particular firm. He acknowledged that “Yes, there are times when companies look at both sides of the border.”

Although officials won’t name the company, they have offered a few preliminary details. The company would bring 55 jobs to Roscoe and could hire another 15 over the next year. The 120,000-square-foot facility would be built over four phases in the next three to five years. The first two phases, totaling 30,000 square feet each, could be built in the first year.

“It will create a lot of opportunities for well-paying jobs during construction and after construction,” said Roscoe Village President Dave Krienke. “It’s somebody that will be here for a number of years and will grow with our community and with our region.”

Krienke said it has been a regional effort to attract the company to town.

Eight taxing districts — Prairie Hill and Hononegah school districts, Winnebago County, Harlem-Roscoe Fire Protection, Rock Valley College, North Suburban Library, Winnebago County Forest Preserve, and Roscoe Township — have each been asked to approve a 50 percent tax abatement for five years. There would be an option to renew the abatement when the five years is up. The new construction would generate about $55,000 in property tax revenue combined across all districts even with the abatement, according to county estimates. It would generate about $110,000 if there was no abatement.

The math makes sense for taxing bodies like the Winnebago County Forest Preserve District, which makes about $8 in property taxes off the vacant land today. The district would net $632 in tax revenue even after the 50 percent abatement if the project comes to Roscoe.

Page 2 of 2 - The abatement proposal hasn’t gone before all boards yet, but most have expressed unofficial support. For example, the Hononegah School Board sent a letter of support for the project, but won’t give final approval of the abatement until they see a written request from the company, School Board President Dave Kurlinkus said.